Saturday 23rd April

We left at 0700, first light, from Torrevieja. We motored out of the marina in pouring rain and the forecast was to blow 30 knots. However, having left the marina, not a sign of wind was to be had. It was very disappointing and being a Yorkshire man, expensive on fuel. Not to mention that the fuel we could carry wouldn't last 440 miles. After an hour we must have cleared the Mar Menor land mass to the south, as the wind started to pick up. The sails were up and we were going great. 10 minutes later we had to put a reef in. The SW wind was just as forecast and 10 minutes later the second reef was in. The sea built up with 3 to 4 metre waves and 12.6 knots speed over the ground was achieved, as we surfed down the waves. Eventually the third reef was in and 39 knots of wind was recorded. Jerry was green all day and eventually succumbed to seasickness. In 24 hours we sailed 150 miles. Not as good as when I came back from Norway though, were we managed 160 miles in 24 hours. The next 12 hours we managed 70 miles. So, by the 24th April, at 1900 hours, some 36 hours since leaving Torrevieja, we were half way to Sardinia. En route we saw loads of turtles, a dolphin and thousands of Portuguese men of war, 5 of which had landed on the boat.